Alan Greenberg, FHN Sr. Writer
The Florida Panthers will have at least one of their own goalies at training camp come September after signing Cooper Black to a two-year contract on Monday.
This, certainly, is not the end of the Panthers goalie saga this offseason which will come to a head in the coming weeks.
The signing of Black, who has never played an NHL game, to a two-way contract is not particularly newsworthy.
Although, if the season began today, he would be the top goaltender under contract to the Panthers.
It is June.
A lot is going on behind the scenes.
And, a lot may change.
Black grabbed the reins in taking over as the starting goalie for the AHL Charlotte Checkers last season.
The 24-year-old gets a two-way deal, meaning he could play for the Panthers at the NHL level but will get less money if he plays in the AHL.
He may just be the starter in Charlotte next year — or, he could challenge for the backup job in Florida.
But who is the starter?
Last year was a big one for Black. He took over as the starter in Charlotte after Brandon Bussi was claimed off waivers by the Carolina Hurricanes prior to the start of the season.
Black, who shuffled between the AHL and ECHL in his first season with the Panthers, played in 42 games for the Checkers and went 25-13-4 with a 2.47/.903.
He did not get called up to the Panthers last season after Sergei Bobrovsky and Daniil Tarasov made it through without any injuries.
The 6-foot-8 Michigan native came to the Panthers as an undrafted free agent who played two seasons at Dartmouth.
Black is considered one of the Panthers’ top goaltending prospects along with Charlotte teammate Kirill Gerasimyuk.
Yet: The Panthers do not have any NHL goalies under contract right now.
Both Bobrovsky and Tarasov are unrestricted free agents come July 1.
The status of both remain in limbo with the possibility that both could be ‘lost’ to free agency.
The Panthers could be looking elsewhere.
Sure, Florida could re-sign both or just one. The Panthers also could be looking elsewhere for both a starter and backup.
Bobrovsky is not going to get anywhere near the $10 million per season on his expiring seven-year deal. Nor will he, at age 38 in September, get a lengthy contract.
It sounds like he wants both money and term from the Panthers.
Tarasov, on the other hand, had a one-year deal at a contract just over $1 million.
Could he potentially cash in after a pretty good year with the Panthers? Perhaps not.
Black, whom the Panthers signed as an undrafted free agent out of Dartmouth, has spent two seasons in the organization.
Is he the new ‘goalie of the future?’
Time will tell.
Previously, Jacob Markstrom, Sam Montembeault, and Spencer Knight held that designation but went on to bigger and better things elsewhere.
In the weeks leading to the July 1 start of free agency, Bill Zito will be juggling all of the possible goaltending scenarios.
While Bobrovsky and Tarasov have expressed a desire to return, this is a business void of sentiment.
If Zito cannot complete a team-friendly deal — one that does not obligate the Panthers for an unwieldy cap hit which extends beyond Bobrovsky’s best years — the next time we see Bobrovsky could just be when he gets a video tribute on his return to Sunrise wearing another jersey.
There are a host of free agent goalies coming on the market.
Of those who might be available and who can qualify as a No. 1 goalie, Connor Ingram, Stu Skinner, and Cam Talbot are probably the best of the lot.
That is not what the Panthers, a Stanley Cup contender, will be looking for.
So, who will be manning the nets when the new season begins?
If Bobrovsky does not come to an agreement with the Panthers in the coming weeks, expect them to be working on a trade for a legit starter.
Connor Hellebuyck apparently wants out of Winnipeg and he just might be the next starter for the Panthers if Zito & Co. swing a blockbuster deal with the Jets.
Hellebuyck has a lot of term on his contract, so it will be a lot more of a difficult deal than perhaps brining in 2019 Cup champ Jordan Binnington.
Binnington, who lost to Hellebuyck in the Team USA-Canada gold-medal finale in Milan, has one year left on his contract with the Blues.
Bobrovsky and Tarasov both apparently want to come back.
But money is going to talk.
The Panthers may just be moving on.
ON DECK: FLORIDA PANTHERS OFFSEASON
- NHL Draft (9th in First Round, Seven Picks Overall): June 26-27; KeyBank Center, Buffalo
- NHL Free Agency: Opens July 1
- Panthers Development Camp: Late June/Early July; IcePlex, Fort Lauderdale
- Panthers Rookie Camp/Tournament: Late August/Early Sept.; Site TBA
- Panthers Training Camp: Early/Mid September; Fort Lauderdale
- 2026-27 NHL Season Opens: Late September; Site, Opponent TBA